Broken Games are Good, Actually
460:00 - I love broken games
0:41 - The game I can't quit playing
3:00 - The game that taught me imbalance is good
6:30 - Making games FEEL great
9:32 - Balance feels bad
I have a thing for broken games, not the glitchy Cyberpunk kind, but the ones that let me go absolutely overpowered and tear through every challenge with a wild flair. In my view, "balance" often kills the fun. I'd rather see everything amped up than nerfed.
Take Balatro, for example, a poker roguelike deckbuilder that's got me hooked. It lets you play with jokers that have insane abilities, leading to some crazy combos and high scores. Then there's Inscryption, a narrative-driven deckbuilder that actively encourages breaking its rules to progress. Sacrificial stones and death cards are just some of the ways it lets you shake things up.
What makes these games truly exciting is their "juice" — the visual and auditory elements that make every move feel like a triumph. However, games like Marvel Snap tend to prioritize balance over fun, which, in my opinion, ruins the experience. I prefer games that let me break boundaries and feel like a gaming god, much like the baton pass in Persona 5.
Multiplayer games, often too focused on balance, leave little room for the wild excitement I crave. Instead, I appreciate single-player games like Balatro and Inscryption, where the fun is about breaking limits and creating awe-inspiring moments. If you're looking for a taste of that, check out Balatro on Steam.